1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a method of increasing Monascus pigment production.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known that Monascus microorganisms produce pigments, including yellow, oranges and red-purples, that can be used to enrich or compensate for the loss of color in food processing. Chemical modifications have been attempted to decrease the problems which have prohibited the development of these pigments for practical use in the food industry. Various native materials and simple chemicals have been used and protein amino acids have commonly been found to be useful to improve the quality of the Monascus pigments.
However, it is desirable to not only improve the quality of pigment production but also to increase the amount of pigment produced.